Carlton a flag chance in 2026.

[strand_victor]

Can someone please remove this poster's shift key? It's driving me insane trying to read this!

Geelong 2006 had Neale Balme.
Richmond 2016 had Neale Balme.
Collingwood 2021 had Graham Wright.
Adelaide 2024 had Neale Balme.
Carlton 2025 have Graham Wright.

 

[Cyclops]

Do you think Carlton will become Relevant again before Essendon? There are major Issues in the Board Room of both Clubs.

Up to them, I have no idea if they have the political will to castrate the factions.

 

[iameviljez]

Geelong 2006 had Neale Balme.
Richmond 2016 had Neale Balme.
Collingwood 2021 had Graham Wright.
Adelaide 2024 had Neale Balme.
Carlton 2025 have Graham Wright.

Haha, true, but Neil Balme did stick around at Geelong through our flag years.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

For all of the love for Curnow, Cripps, Walsh etc... this is Carlton's problem (taken from the most recent game):
View attachment 2394988

With all due respect to Weitering, there's a shitload of bench filler there that would not get anywhere near a Brisbane, Collingwood or Adelaide side.

Carlton have overpaid their recruits, lost all their depth, and are in big trouble.

While I agree with the point that a lot of the players listed above wouldn't get a game at those clubs right now, there's plenty of that type of player on every list.

Most of them have just been getting blooded in the back half of the season to find out who's got what it takes and who doesn't, while players who'd normally be considered our 'depth' have been injured or playing VFL.

That said, I've been very happy getting to see more of Cowan, Lord, Carroll, Moir and O'Keefe this year. Think they've all shown a lot of promise so far.

 

[CarmenSandiego]

Their top few are great but their bottom 12 players are really average, and they're all getting to the point where they don't really have more years to develop that bottom tier without losing their best players primes.

Haynes 34
Zac Williams 32
Saad 32
McGovern 32
Cripps 31
Hewett 31
Acres 31
McKay 29
Curnow 29
Weitering 29

Docherty retired
De Koning leaving
Silvagni leaving

thats a lot of really quality players coming into their career twilights and either leaving or retiring.

Their 'younger' bracket of star power is Walsh (26 next year) and Cerra (27)

They aren't Geelong, where you can back in the culture and coaching structure to expect them just to return to the top 8. I'd say their year was '23.

Wildly inconsistent/incorrect ages here.

By mid-2026:

Williams will be 31
McGovern 31
Hewett 30
Acres 30
McKay 28
Weitering 28

You've whacked on a year just to suit your argument.

Also lol'ing at the fact late 20's is 'old' now? Must've missed the last few flags where all the teams are littered with 30+ year olds.

 

[CarmenSandiego]

For all of the love for Curnow, Cripps, Walsh etc... this is Carlton's problem (taken from the most recent game):
View attachment 2394988

With all due respect to Weitering, there's a shitload of bench filler there that would not get anywhere near a Brisbane, Collingwood or Adelaide side.

Carlton have overpaid their recruits, lost all their depth, and are in big trouble.

OP's point is 12 months ago absolutely nobody would've picked Adelaide to be used as a reference in this sort of conversation.

Pretty much every ladder prediction I saw in pre-season had Adelaide missing the 8 comfortably due to a poor list build & Nicks being no good.. now they have arguably the best list in the league.

Also - fair few of those players are playing because - well, Walsh, Curnow, E Hollands, Smith, Newman, Cerra, Kemp, Cottrell, Silvagni, McGovern aren't playing.

 

[Freomaniac]

Not really. Everyone thought they had been unlucky with umpiring in previous years, and I think most thought they had a very good spine integrated with youth, just that their midfield was lacking. They added Peatling and that helped Soligo improve this season. Rankine has gone in their at times and made them more dynamic and unpredictable.

I had Adelaide 10th in my prediction the season, I certainly didn't think it was out of the realms of possibility if they played finals this season.

What do you see in Carlton that's going to see them improve next season and on?

I know it's off topic.... But I had Adelaide finishing 5th at the start of the season.

5th spot 14 wins and 9 losses. Beat up the injury riddled 8th placed side and go out in the semi finals.

Not many predicted crows to finish top. Not many predicted a ladder this season where a team could be unlucky finishing 9th with 14 wins

 

[Freomaniac]

Wildly inconsistent/incorrect ages here.
M I'll
By mid-2025:

Williams will be 31
McGovern 31
Hewett 30
Acres 30
McKay 28
Weitering 28

You've whacked on a year just to suit your argument.

Also lol'ing at the fact late 20's is 'old' now? Must've missed the last few flags where all the teams are littered with 30+ year olds.

Wildly inconsistent/incorrect ages here.

By mid-2025:

Williams will be 31
McGovern 31
Hewett 30
Acres 30
McKay 28
Weitering 28

You've whacked on a year just to suit your argument.

Also lol'ing at the fact late 20's is 'old' now? Must've missed the last few flags where all the teams are littered with 30+ year olds.

Even if the ages of these blokes are true. Even looking at the list where the 2 oldest blokes are 31 years old. They can still play decent and serviceable footy for another 2 or even 3 seasons.

I said this before and will say it again. I am not saying Carlton will win the flag In 2026.

But if they do, it's not something unprecedented. It would be a similar path to demons in 2021.

But even if thats the case and Carlton follows the demons path of 2021. This is how it will pan out.

2026: Carlton finish top 2 with little to no injuries and wins 3 finals including the 2026 flag.

2027 and 2028 : like the demons of 2022 and 2023. Make finals. Both years top 4 and out in straight sets.

2029: 14th spot with 10 wins.

2030: team implodes with injuries and ageing squad. Michael Voss is sacked.


I assume you all Carlton fans will take that just sole reason to get the 2026 flag.

 

[LeeCarvallo]

Wildly inconsistent/incorrect ages here.

By mid-2025:

Williams will be 31
McGovern 31
Hewett 30
Acres 30
McKay 28
Weitering 28

You've whacked on a year just to suit your argument.

Also lol'ing at the fact late 20's is 'old' now? Must've missed the last few flags where all the teams are littered with 30+ year olds.

I didn't use it to suit my argument, that's simply the age they turn next year. Whether its past the midway point of the season is you shifting the goalposts.

If you think your current list and age profile is going to end in a flag, then that's fine, I wish you luck.

 

[Hobbes]

I don’t see anything in Carlton that would suggest they’re a finals chance next year.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

I know it's off topic.... But I had Adelaide finishing 5th at the start of the season.

5th spot 14 wins and 9 losses. Beat up the injury riddled 8th placed side and go out in the semi finals.

Not many predicted crows to finish top. Not many predicted a ladder this season where a team could be unlucky finishing 9th with 14 wins

Not suggesting this is Carlton but in 2014 no one would’ve seen the Bulldogs winning 2016. Find some threads the year before Richmond won their flag, or 2 years before Collingwood’s, or Hawthorn after round 5 last year.
Same as people saying clubs like West Coast don’t stay down long.

If clubs have a strong core (which 2/3 of the league probably do or are close to) they really are only a few real good moves and some good coaching away from contending. Most sides are also not far off finding themselves in the same position we are atm.

 

[Freomaniac]

Not suggesting this is Carlton but in 2014 no one would’ve seen the Bulldogs winning 2016. Find some threads the year before Richmond won their flag, or 2 years before Collingwood’s, or Hawthorn after round 5 last year.
Same as people saying clubs like West Coast don’t stay down long.

If clubs have a strong core (which 2/3 of the league probably do or are close to) they really are only a few real good moves and some good coaching away from contending. Most sides are also not far off finding themselves in the same position we are atm.

I loved it when people said west coast eagles don't stay down for long.

Again.... 18 team league. So 8 teams make finals and 10 do not.

Once we add 2 more sides.... Then it's a 20 team league. So 8 teams make finals and 12 teams don't . So 40 percent chance of making finals

 

[kreuze_missile]

A chance? We’re certainties.

 

[Chronz]

A chance? We’re certainties.

I expect a fred in early 2026 made by you on the bay. Do not disappoint us this time.

 

[kreuze_missile]

I expect a fred in early 2026 made by you on the bay. Do not disappoint us this time.

1. I’m retired, and also banned, from the bay.

2. Main board is a (slightly) higher IQ variant of the Bay, so I do my best work over here now.

 

[LOLchie Schultz]

Not suggesting this is Carlton but in 2014 no one would’ve seen the Bulldogs winning 2016. Find some threads the year before Richmond won their flag, or 2 years before Collingwood’s, or Hawthorn after round 5 last year.
Same as people saying clubs like West Coast don’t stay down long.

Thats true, but they did have two things in common, quality youth and elite leaders!

Cant you tell me where the Blues have a Bontempelli, Macrea, Liberatore, Johannisen, Dunkley, Hunter, Stringer...
Or
Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Edwards, Rance, Grimes, Ellis, Vlastuin, Caddy, Prestia, Rioli...
Or
2 x Daicos, Hill, 3 x Umpires...

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Thats true, but they did have two things in common, quality youth and elite leaders!

Cant you tell me where the Blues have a Bontempelli, Macrea, Liberatore, Johannisen, Dunkley, Hunter, Stringer...
Or
Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Edwards, Rance, Grimes, Ellis, Vlastuin, Caddy, Prestia, Rioli...
Or
2 x Daicos, Hill, 3 x Umpires...

perceptions change, that’s the point. You have just named plenty of players who weren’t rated or even on these sides lists when they were struggling a couple of years or a year before their premierships.
That’s the point

 

[CarmenSandiego]

perceptions change, that’s the point. You have just named plenty of players who weren’t rated or even on these sides lists when they were struggling a couple of years or a year before their premierships.
That’s the point

People carry on as if they weren’t calling 3/4 of that list spuds after they finished 13th in 2016 off the back 3 straight embarrassing elimination final exits.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Thats true, but they did have two things in common, quality youth and elite leaders!

Cant you tell me where the Blues have a Bontempelli, Macrea, Liberatore, Johannisen, Dunkley, Hunter, Stringer...
Or
Dusty, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Edwards, Rance, Grimes, Ellis, Vlastuin, Caddy, Prestia, Rioli...
Or
2 x Daicos, Hill, 3 x Umpires...

Stringer and Hunter 'elite leaders'???

Are you on crack lol?

 

[jakson68]

After watching them last night, yes they are a chance for the flag in 2026.

We are talking about the AFLW I hope.
As there is more chance of moving the Westgate Bridge than Carlton's AFL team winning the flag in 2026.

Or the foreseeable future.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

They're light years off it, got nothing

Turned over 16 players since their famous 2023 run

Only beaten one decent side since April 2024

Good spoon chance in 2026 as the rebuild commences

 

[Thrawn]

I don't think we're a flag chance, but a lot will depend on who we appoint as head of football and coaching assistants. If our best players can stay on the park and we actually have a gameplan that makes the best use of our strengths, then it's certainly going to be a better year than this one.

 

[Thrawn]

Good spoon chance in 2026 as the rebuild commences

That McCain corn isn't good for you, stop eating it!

 

[Orfullrules]

No chance. Terrible football team

 

[LOLchie Schultz]

Stringer and Hunter 'elite leaders'???

Are you on crack lol?

I knew you'd struggle with comprehension!

Why didn't you continue on with Cotchin and Dusty "quality youth".